How Chloe Used the 12 Weeks Between Trials and her HSC English Exams to Improve by 13%
🌟 80% Final HSC English Standard Result
In a short period of time, Chloe’s work with tutor Jess turned her marks around by 13% and she was able to score a solid Band 5 result in the HSC!
🔥 Improved Quality of Analysis in Essay Responses
Chloe unpacked the weak points in her essays and responded to feedback by revising the key details of her texts and adding depth to her arguments.
💪 Learned Quick Method to Interpreting Unseen Texts
Chloe equipped herself with a set of common techniques that could kick start her analysis of unseen texts and short answer responses.
The Challenge
Although Chloe had been performing well in HSC English, her Trial Exams caught her by surprise. When she received 67%, it was hard not to panic because of how close she was to the HSC Exam Period. Chloe’s motivation had been dropping throughout the year, and now she only had a few months to pinpoint her weak areas and figure out how to improve. The feedback she had gotten from her school teacher had been to add depth to her responses, but Chloe had no idea how to go about doing that and wasn’t sure she could find out in time. She decided to get in touch with Art of Smart so that she could get some guidance from a tutor!
I was really upset because I had a lot of expectations. I was doing well in Year 11, but before trials, I wasn’t feeling motivated.
Key Problems
☹️ Chloe was not confident with short answer responses because she struggled to analyse unseen texts for techniques and meaning
💼 Chloe’s essays didn’t have enough depth to their arguments and needed more evidence
🧩 Chloe didn’t know how to adapt her prepared essays to complex essay questions
Our Approach
Chloe joined Art of Smart tutor Jess in weekly one-on-one sessions where they started by reading through the feedback from her teacher and identifying the weaknesses she needed to focus on before her HSC exams. First, Chloe needed to improve her short answer responses to unseen texts. She did 2-3 short answers per week while getting feedback from Jess that she would put in front of her as she did the next week’s questions. To improve her analysis of unseen texts, Chloe learned a set of common techniques that could kick start her responses. The next step was to improve the analysis in her essays.
By breaking down the storyline of each of her texts, Chloe created palm cards with key quotes, techniques, and examples that she used to create 5-minute essay plans. Chloe also made sure she knew what to expect from Module C by revising the steps to writing an imaginative piece through Art of Smart’s online resources. In the lead up to her final exams, she wrote and submitted two timed practise essays to Jess for feedback each week.
Focus
- Improving short answer responses
- Adding depth to essay analysis and arguments
- Critically responding to essay questions
- Prepping for Mod C
Strategies
- Mastering common techniques
- Palm cards with key quotes, techniques, and examples
- Scaffolding essay plans to different questions
- Learning steps to imaginative writing
Mastering Common Techniques
Palm Cards with Key Quotes, Techniques, and Examples
Scaffolding Essay Plans to Different Questions
Learning Steps to Imaginative Writing
The Result
In the short period of time between her Trials and the HSC Exams, Chloe worked with Jess to turn her marks around and scored a great result of 80% for English Standard. This means that she was able to improve by 13% in just a few months!
13%
Increase in English results
80%
Final HSC English result
98%
Of customers agree their tutor is well prepared for tutoring sessions
9/10
Student rating on tutors’ knowledge and subject expertise
With Art of Smart, Chloe saw a 13% improvement in HSC English Standard
I sent Jess the feedback and told her how I was feeling and she said, look, it’s normal, everyone doesn’t do too well in trials but now is the time to bounce back and do well in the HSC. She gave me some really good tips.
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